Manufacturing sector in Northamptonshire bouncing back after slow start to 2015, according to Chamber

Callum Jones

The manufacturing sector in Northamptonshire has experienced a rebound in UK sales after a lull in domestic activity, a survey has revealed.

According to information from the latest Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce’s Quarterly Economic Survey(QES), manufacturing firms in the county reported a significant increase in UK sales over the last three months.

In terms of recruitment, businesses across both the services and manufacturing sectors have attempted to hire staff. There was a 30 per cent increase in the number of manufacturing firms trying to employ staff making a total of 78 per cent, while 56 per cent of service sector respondents attempted to recruit, a rise of 14 per cent on Q2.

The third quarter also saw manufacturing businesses reporting a sharp increase in training investment with 95 per cent citing investment either remaining consistent with the prior quarter or increasing.

Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The results from the QES for Q3 2015 show that whilst the manufacturing sector in Northamptonshire has performed disappointingly in domestic sales in recent quarters, it is a reflection of the national trend highlighted by our partners at The British Chambers of Commerce(BCC).

“We are pleased to see our local manufacturers recording an improvement in their domestic balances for sales and orders for the first time since Q1 2014, albeit at a weaker pace than the service sector.

“Northamptonshire has a buoyant service sector and the county’s manufacturing remains a vital sector for productivity and exports. We will continue to monitor the manufacturing sector through the QES. The Government must make every effort to encourage manufacturers to explore global markets.”

The QES, an independent business survey contains responses from local businesses employing 5,590 people from across Northamptonshire.

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